NGT petitioned against illegal riverbed mining near Kaziranga

Seven years after the Supreme Court issued an order to prohibit mining activities around Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, the protected area faces a new threat from illegal riverbed excavation near its southern boundary. Mohajon Kro, a resident of Diphu in Karbi Anglong district, recently filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change on August 5.

Kro alleged that large-scale and mechanized sand mining is taking place along the Deihori River, causing severe ecological damage. The excavation involves the use of excavators, earthmovers, and dumpers, resulting in altered waterway morphology, increased sediment disturbance, and water turbidity. Local tribal communities depend on the river for various purposes, including drinking, bathing, irrigation, fishing, and cultural practices.

The Karbi Anglong hills, which form the southern boundary of Kaziranga, serve as a refuge for wildlife during monsoon floods. The NGT petition seeks an immediate halt to mechanized mining, pending an investigation into potential violations of environmental norms. The petitioner expressed concern that the Supreme Court's 2019 order has not been effectively enforced, warning that continued mining could lead to a severe disaster for Kaziranga National Park, similar to the impact of stone and coal mining in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.